Accounting adds up for Anna Davydova

On track to earn her Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Northeastern Illinois University in 2018, Davydova is focused on only one thing: passing the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination.

“Once she passes the CPA exam, there will be no stopping her,” Associate Professor of Management Information Systems Charletta Gutierrez said. “Anna has that drive, that potential. She will be very successful in whatever she chooses to do.”

While Davydova hasn’t chosen a career path just yet, she is not concerned. She could work in tax accounting, public accounting or even launch her own business.

As she eagerly looks ahead to preparations for the CPA exam, Davydova looks back with no regrets about choosing Northeastern as an affordable, AACSB-accredited university with evening classes that accommodate her full-time job.

“This has been a great opportunity for me,” said Davydova, who moved to Chicago from Izhevsk, Russia, 10 years ago. “I’m doing well in class, and I enjoy Northeastern a lot.”

Davydova came to the United States with an education in mechanical engineering but found that the Russian degree was not the equivalent of a degree from an American institution.

At a crossroads, she decided to pursue accounting, which is not as big of a leap as one might imagine.

“Accounting has a very close feel to engineering,” Davydova said. “I really like logic and numbers, so this made sense.”

She quickly learned to love her professors, whom she said “encourage students to pursue their goals in life.”

“They’re brilliant people,” Davydova said. “They teach in a way that accommodates every student—not only the ones that are already doing well in class but also the ones who are falling behind.”

A top student in the College of Business and Management—she even sits in the front row of every class—Davydova has earned the mutual respect of her professors for her quiet but unwavering work ethic.

“Anna takes pride in the work she does for every assignment and every class,” Gutierrez said. “She just has this desire to succeed. She knows that if she gets an education, she’ll be successful.”